Saturday is going to be a huge day and we’re going to have a feast of football to look forward too.

We have the Championship Play-off final which is like the side roll you get for sitting at the table, the Champions League final in Munich to finish the meal off like an ‘After Eight’ mint but main meal of the day has to be the hotly anticipated encounter between Hearts and Hibs for the Scottish Cup.

It is FORM vs FATE !!! 

We have not had an all Edinburgh Scottish Cup final since 1896.

Around 50,000 supporters split in loyalties will travel through to Glasgow together hoping their side has the cup in their hands after the Edinburgh derby of the century!

Its funny I don’t think I have seen a cup final with such fear in the eyes of both sets of fans. Every other year we usually see fans delighted to make the final and are then ready for the outcome and see what happens.

For these sets of fans from Auld Reekie there isn’t a ‘lets see what happens’ mentality. Most cannot contemplate even for a second their team losing to them, the rivals. They know that the other mob will crow over them and remind of this result for years to come.

As a Rangers fan I love Old Firm finals, I only truly love the ones in which we win, I hate those that we lose but I know the likely hood is that we will have another one in the not too distant future. (Well I am not as sure of that now but you get the drift)

So to think that in our history we’ve not had an Edinburgh final in over a hundred years it does seem crazy.

So where does the form versus fate thing come in.

 Well Hearts are the side with the form this season. They finished in the SPL’s top six, they impressively beat the SPL champions Celtic to reach this final and they have big game players such as Rudi Skacel, Andy Webster and Ian Black.

Hearts have met Hibs three times this season and they have won all three. In those derby games they managed to bag seven goals and only conceded one in those three games.

Also they are more used to Hampden success, they last won the Scottish Cup back in 2006. They have in fact won the cup on seven occasions.

For me if a manager deserved a cup this season then that man would be Paulo Sergio. He has came to Hearts and Scottish football and been a breath of fresh air with his wonderful press conferences. He has also kept his team winning even during uncertain times when finances were threatening to disrupt his squads focus.

Now for the fate.

Hibs have only won the Scottish Cup two times! The last was way back in 1902, that is 110 years of hurt and disappointment for the Hibees.

They have been the runners up a total of nine times. The most of any team other than the two Old Firm sides.

Surely the hoodoo has to end at some time and is there a better time to end it than against your city rivals?

Last time Hibs won it back in 1902, they traveled to Glasgow and beat an inform Celtic at their own ground. They won and they were the underdogs, is history going to repeat itself?

Is it these Hibernian players destiny to end the jinx and become club legends?

Now on paper Hearts are without doubt stronger. They finished 5th in the league while Hibs were fighting off relegation all season before finishing second bottom. The three previous derbies prove that Hearts have more about them than Hibs do.

But this is the Scottish Cup final, this is a one off, actually this particular game only seems to come along once every two to three lifetimes. We went through the whole of the 20th century without one!

Form doesn’t exactly count on a day like this.

Fate, well that only comes into play if your side wins, it plays no part during the game either.

Hibs have a strong forward line with the talented yet combustible Leigh Griffiths and the talismanic Gary O’Connor up front. Since the arrival of James McPake on loan the Easter Road outfit have looked slightly more confident at the back too.

Hearts have experienced campaigners such as Ian Black and Andy Webster ready to go all out for a victory. The Jambos support will have all hopes pinned on their Czech idol Rudi Skacel. But they know that players such as Craig Beattie also offer a goal threat.

If experience is key then it has to go to Hearts who have players in that squad that have been here and done it all before.

For me?

Well I have a strong gut feeling that fate will triumph over form. I think Hibs are going to dramatically edge this final winning it 2-1.

I think Hearts through Rudi will take an early lead. Then Hibs will equalise early on in the second half through Leigh Griffiths. Then both sides will have their fans passing out as they miss great chances before at the death Hibs snatch it through a Garry O’Connor goal. Cue the topless celebration and the Hibees fans going wild!

I should point out that I am hardly ever right with these sort of predictions, so both sets of fans should take the above paragraph with a pinch of salt and a splatter of sauce.

Whatever happens I expect a tense, tight, colourful affair. With plenty of drama and passion. I hope both sets of fans try and enjoy the build up as I know at the end we will have a group totally euphoric and the other totally crushed and miserable.

There will definitely be a bus parade in the capital this Sunday, quite where I have no idea as that depends on the tram disruption and whether or not we have maroon and white or green and white ribbons around the cup!

Posted on May 17th, 2012 by scott
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Steve Kean has had a tough time of it this past year at Blackburn Rovers.

Fans have protested against both him and the owners of the club, the Venky family. Rovers have now been relegated and Steve is currently in India to talk over his future with his bosses.

So the last thing Mr Kean would have wanted was for a video of him talking to fans about the club and about former manager Sam Allardyce to come into public domain.

Now its true that Steve seems to have had a few beers while conducting this conversation and he seems unaware of the fact that he is being filmed on a camera phone. So I should say now that I am not a fan of secretly taken footage and think that the timing of releasing it was very odd maybe even sinister, as it was taken during pre-season last summer in Hong Kong.

But that said their is no getting away from the fact that Steve Kean is an idiot and could seriously have pushed himself closer to the sack. Should he be sacked for bring the club into disrepute and/or for gross misconduct then he will possibly lose any compensation deal he would have been previously entitled to.

I have accepted that the filming was a bit creepy and something that I strongly disagree with.

Problem for me is that Kean knew he was a high profile person and a possible target for these types of things. Every EPL side player and manager that goes to a pub, airport or whatever public place will get questions from the public, they will get asked for pictures and get filmed. Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse was filmed as he left a barbers for crying out loud, he was also swarmed by young fans.

The intrusion into your life becomes part and parcel with the job, the wage and the lifestyle. There is no getting away from that fact.

Kean in the video was talking himself up, how he spotted Phil Jones and how the academy were going to ditch the defender. He swears throughout the video, a tell tale sign he isn’t really in control of what he is saying. But to be honest he chose to drink at that bar no one would have forced him to drink.

He guarantees fans that Blackburn will finish the 2011/12 season in the top 10. He also promises they will win the Carling Cup, seriously what an idiot! Any manager worth their salt knows anything can happen in a cup competition, luck plays a huge part and their is no point thinking of winning the cup until you at least make the semis.

He was so sure of these claims that he even put £100 bet on it. I hope that fan gets his money or it at least it goes to charity. We all know Blackburn finished second bottom in the EPL and they got knocked out of the Carling Cup losing 2-0 in the quarters to Championship side Cardiff City.

He also boasted that new signings were coming and that they would improve the side, never really happened but who knows what he was being told at that time.

The biggest proclamation came when he was discussing ‘Big Sam’ and why his former gaffer was sacked by the Venky’s.

He called the West Ham manager a ‘crook’. Now this was his biggest mistake.

Sam, its being said, is willing to take legal action against Kean. Now unless Sam has a criminal record, then Allardyce is going to win this slander case. The Venky’s will also be in the uncomfortable position of having to go to court and either back the Kean claim or dismiss it. Again unless they can prove other wise they will dismiss it. They wont appreaciate any private comments coming out in court and will probably hang Kean out to dry.

Now this isn’t Steve Kean’s first problem fuelled by alcohol as he was banned from driving after being found guilty of a drink driving charge last August.

Does he have a problem with drink? Only he will know and only he can deal with it if he has.

I wont be surprised by whatever decision the Venky’s end up taking with Kean. If they sack him then its because the puppet has become a liability that they can control until he drinks. If they keep him they will prove once and for all that the man is there just to be the fall guy and isn’t there to improve the football club.

Footballers and managers should take note, your life isn’t your own. The fans and the media are now ‘Big Brother’ and they are watching you. They can take pictures, film you and get all of this onto Twitter, Facebook and the rest in a matter of minutes or just wait until the time is right.

To view the Steve Kean video click HERE.

Posted on May 17th, 2012 by scott
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Roy Hodgson has now named his first England squad and the 23 man squad is set for the Euros in June.

He has surprised us with a few inclusions. I will look at all the players and give you my thoughts on them, then as a squad in the whole and will then tell you my squad.

Before I do, I would like to tell the press that the way they broke this story announcing half of it last night on twitter is disrespectful to the fans. They don’t want to be teased and would have preferred to have waited for the announcement for the FA.

So here is the squad.

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart (Man City) – A great keeper who is definitely the number one. Since David Seaman quit England haven’t had a top top keeper in between the sticks with the likes of David James, Rob Green, Scott Carson, Paul Robinson all having shaky games for England. Hart in confident, capable and commanding. Being a title winner with Man City this season, he will be desperate to show what he is capable of in a big international tournament.

Rob Green (West Ham Utd) – Had a miserable World Cup in 2010. Now playing in the championship and still prone to a mistake or two. But has the guts to keep proving his doubters wrong and unlike Paul Robinson and Ben Foster he is willing to wait for his chance on the bench. Decent back up.

John Ruddy (Norwich City) – Uncapped but has had a fantastic season in the Premier League. Has helped Norwich finish an impressive 12th spot and he did it with some very impressive performances. Seen him at Motherwell while he was there on loan and seemed to relish the big games. Deserves his spot due to a great consistent season.

Defenders

John Terry (Chelsea) – Seems to have been picked ahead of Rio Ferdinand. On playing side he might merit that nod as he will have played more over the past few seasons than Rio and certainly for England. The fact he has been stripped of the captaincy might effect the squads morale especially if he opens his mouth like he did in South Africa 2010. His sending off at Barcelona in the semi final match in Champions League wasn’t good and for me I would have selected Rio and not Terry.

Joleon Lescott (Man City) – Another title winner in the squad and has had a good season at the back with Vincent Kompany. Questions have been asked over certain decisions he makes at times and he simply isn’t as good without a big strong centre half beside him. Will battle it out with Gary Cahill to start beside Terry,  he can also revert to left back too if needed.

Gary Cahill (Chelsea) – Could be a Champions League winner by the time he gets to the Euros, that would be a huge confidence boost to this centre back. Has done reasonably well since his move to Chelsea in January and merits his place having also done well for England when called upon during the qualifying campaign. Will probably be ahead of Lescott in the pecking order as he all ready has a good understanding with John Terry.

Phil Jones (Man United) – Has been very good at Man Utd in his first season, although he didn’t finish it as strongly as he started it. His versatility is a big plus as he can play as a right back, centre back, defensive mid and central midfield. Always good to see younger players in a squad.

Glen Johnson (Liverpool) – Might have been lucky that Kyle Walker and Chris Smalling are both missing through injury. But he is vastly experienced at this level and I think is a better player than many give him credit for. He can be very dangerous going forward and will run all day.

Ashley Cole (Chelsea) – His name was always going to be in the squad. Not a man I would particularly like to spend time with but still one of the worlds best left backs. His games against Barca for Chelsea in the Champions League proved he is still a player for the big occasion. If fit he will definitely have the left back slot.

Leighton Baines (Everton) – Has been terrific for Everton this season. Has created a number of assists with his great crossing ability and he is very threatening from free kicks. Very unlucky that he has Ashley Cole in his era otherwise he’d have played more international football.

Midfielders

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – The Liverpool man is captain for the Euros. Deserves his spot as he is one of the best English players of his generation and is still capable of making a difference in a game. Can play all over the midfield and behind a frontman. I would urge Hodgson not to put him in the same side as Frank Lampard. Better having him in the hole or beside one of the more defensive central midfielders.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – As I have already suggested he shouldn’t play alongside Gerrard but merits his place in the squad. He can still get goals from the central midfield role and is an extremely professional experienced star to have in the squad. At 33 this probably will be his last tournament at international level and if he isn’t first choice I expect him to retire after Poland/Ukraine.

Scott Parker (Tottenham) – Has been a great player for England during qualifying and if fit he should start ahead of Gareth Barry beside Captain Gerrard. Tough tackler and a very passionate player who can lift the players around him. He has ended the season with an injury and that may hamper his preparations.

Gareth Barry (Man City) – On the back off winning his first Championship winning medal he will be brimming with confidence. Always gives his all and can be very versatile. A player that will step up and take a penalty if needed but the England fans will probably hope they don’t need penalty kick takers.

James Milner (Man City) – A passionate player who will always run and can unlock a defence with a decent pass. His versatility may have been the key to his selection as he can play centrally and on either wing. Still young but with experience and did well in South Africa at the last World Cup.

Stewart Downing (Liverpool) – A surprise inclusion for me. He hasn’t had the greatest of times in his first season at Liverpool. He can play on both wings and can be very dangerous when he is on form. Another plus is that he is a natural on the left. Wouldn’t have selected him ahead of Aaron Lennon personally but Roy made the call.

Theo Walcott (Arsenal) – Has had his best season in an Arsenal shirt this year. Picked as a right winger and has been playing well there creating a good amount of chances for Robin Van Persie. Another reason for his selection will be that he can play up-front if needed and with Rooney suspended he could be called upon to help out. His pace causes opposition defences a lot of problems.

Ashley Young (Man Utd) – Can play on both wings, has a good cross and can assist with creative free kicks. He has a few tricks and can often win fouls in dangerous positions. I know he has been criticised as of late but he can change a game and I would have picked him too.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) – Uncapped but I like this inclusion. The youngster has impressed against the likes of AC Milan and Man Utd this year and will be fresh for the tournament. Hard working, very creative and has a better footballing brain than Walcott. Would be my starter on the left.

Forwards 

Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) – Will miss the opening two games through suspension but he is the only truly world class player England have. The break may mean he comes into the tournament with a big bang. Great goalscorer and a player that works hard for the team.

Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) – Probably the most natural finisher England have and did well at the last world cup. He also has the experience which might be vital in the opening two games when they are without Rooney. I personally would have taken Daniel Sturridge ahead of Defoe as he has had a better season for me and can play on the left.

Danny Welbeck (Man Utd) – Has had a good season at Old Trafford and another hungry youngster for the squad. He has a good understanding with Wayne Rooney and takes his goals well. Another who can play on the wings if he has too. Hope he gets a chance in the opening games.

Andy Carroll (Liverpool) – There also seems to be a different type of striker in the squad and Carroll is that mine this time around. It was between him Bobby Zamora, Peter Crouch and Grant Holt. I think the final month has probably helped get Andy the nod as he has started scoring and bullying defences. For me I’d have picked Crouch as he has a good international record.

The squad as a whole seems very balanced and has a lot of versatile players in there. The Terry situation may still cause problems. Nice that there is plenty of youth. Still don’t see this side getting past the quarters but it will be a very interesting Euro campaign and I hope Roy gets the time to prove himself. 

For me this would have been my squad…

GKs 

Joe Hart, John Ruddy and Fraser Forster. 

Defs

Rio Ferdinand, Ashely Cole, Joleon Lescott, Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Glen Johnson, Leighton Baines and Micah Richards. 

Mids

Steven Gerrard, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Gareth Barry, Theo Walcott, Scott Parker and Ashley Young. 

Fwds

Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge and Peter Crouch.

Posted on May 16th, 2012 by scott
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So I should start this by congratulating Manchester City on their first Premier League title. In fact it is their first top tier title in 44 years.

Now over the past week I have seen a lot of articles and comments regarding City and whether or not they deserved the title and was it all down to money.

Well their money played a huge part, you cant argue that it didn’t. Since Sheikh Mansour bought the club back in  August 2008, the club has changed dramatically.

Before the Dubai money, they were a team that at best seen as a mid-table side and before that they were a yo-yo team.

The Sheikh came in and straight away splashed a lot of cash, he broke the British transfer record on his first day buying Robinho for £32.5m.

Over the four years he has almost been at the club, Sheikh Mansour has continually spent big in transfer windows, mainly in the summer.

But this isn’t new in football.

Chelsea did it when Roman Abramovich took control of the club. Real Madrid and Barcelona always spend more than their La Liga rivals. In Scotland the Old Firm would spend greater in SPL.

Its funny in Spain their isn’t a huge uproar that Malaga have spent a lot and are now in next years Champions League competition. When Hearts actually spent some serious money they managed to split the Old Firm, again this was seen as refreshing.

The fact is Manchester City needed to spend huge to begin with as they needed a whole new squad, one that would eventually see them lift the title and challenge in Europe.

But they also had to do it the right way. For a long time in England Newcastle spent big without ever getting a trophy.

City will now just spend to improve the squad. They might make one or two big signings but that will be it.They wont buy tens of players. They now have have a very strong squad.

Teams who have built strong squads in the past always then just spend to improve in vital areas.

Look at Manchester United in the 90s… A big part of the team that one the first EPL title was the signing of Eric Cantona from Leeds Utd. When they wanted to splash the cash they did, look at the deals to bring in Andy Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Juan Veron.

Chelsea did the exact same. Roman spent huge getting a squad then when Jose Mourinho came in, he supplemented that squad with big players he wanted to fill in the gaps.

A lot of people have questioned the City owners in supporting a manager, people say they got rid of Mark Hughes too hastily and would have sacked Roberto Mancini this summer had he not one the title.

Well Mancini did win the title. Hughes was never their appointment. Yes the way that sacking and then the appointment of Roberto was handled was very unsavoury but in their four years they have only appointed one manger.

I remember Man City back in the 90s, they went through managers like their was no tomorrow. Between 1993 and 1998 Manchester City went through EIGHT managers!

Look at their squad.

Players like Joe Hart and Vincent Kompany have had terrific seasons. Now these two stand out players weren’t megabucks signings. Hart cost an initial £650k from Shrewsbury Town. Captain Kompany cost £6m from Hamburg. Neither were signed by Mancini or with the Arab cash.

Both have been extremely deserving of their medals.

Yes Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero have also had wonderful seasons and yes they came to City for a combined fee of around £80m. But thats the same fee Man Utd got in for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The players have deserved this success as has the man who brought him there as does the men that brought him. You can splash the cash all you want but it doesn’t guarantee you success it just helps to bring it if you have the right foundations.

One final point we talk about football being a sport before a business. Well the Man City fans seen their team relegated to the old division two back in the 90s and they still supported the side.

Can you really grudge the fans this success even if money helped them get it?

Money rules football now, its a fact, a sad fact but a fact none the less.

Maybe that is why people loved the Bilbao team so much this year because it was players who all come for the same region and are now successful. People in France are desperate for Montpieller to succeed over high spending PSG but these stories are no longer the norm in football.

Money buys titles but in fairness to Manchester City it has done so for a long time, its not new in 2012.

Posted on May 14th, 2012 by scott
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So the Euros are just around the corner and I thought I would go through the fixtures. I would then guess the scores and by the act of ‘Johnston Science’ which is not a proper science, its really just me going with my gut instinct. I probably should be a professor or fottballtific scientist.

Please don’t remortgage your house, spend your wage or bust your piggy bank on the predictions I have came up with here.

So here goes…

Group A

Poland 2-0 Greece, Russia 2-1 Czech Republic.

Greece 0-0 Czech Republic, Poland 1-2 Russia.

Czech Republic 0-0 Poland, Greece 0-3 Russia.

1. Russia     Pts  9
2. Poland            4
3. Czech Rep      2
4. Greece             1

Group B

Netherlands 2-0 Denmark, Germany 2-1 Portugal,

Denmark 1-2 Portugal, Netherlands 2-2 Germany,

Denmark 0-4 Germany, Portugal 1-2 Netherlands.

1. Germany       Pts    7
2. Netherlands           7
3. Portugal                  3
4. Denmark                0

Group C

Spain 0-0 Italy, Rep of Ireland 1-3 Croatia,

Italy 1-0 Croatia, Spain 2-1 Rep of Ireland,

Croatia 0-2 Spain, Italy 1-1 Rep of Ireland.

1. Spain                  Pts  7
2. Italy                            5
3. Croatia                       3
4. Rep of Ireland          1

Group D

France 1-1 England, Ukraine 1-1 Sweden,

Ukraine 0-2 France, Sweden 2-3 England,

England 1-1 Ukraine, Sweden 1-4 France,

1. France    Pts  7
2. England         5
3. Ukraine          2
4. Sweden           1

Quarter Finals

Russia 0-2 Netherlands, Germany 2-1 Poland (aet), Spain 3-1 England, France 1-1 Italy  (France win on penalties).

Semi Final

Netherlands 1-0 Spain (aet), Germany 2-0 France.

FINAL

Netherlands 1-2 Germany.

So your winner is GERMANY…

Posted on May 11th, 2012 by scott
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First off congratulations to Juventus for winning the Scudetto.

The 2011/12 season in Italy has been extremely exciting. The title was a close run thing, the last spot for the Champions League is still to be decided and either Lecce or Genoa will be relegated in the final weekend of fixtures.

This season in Italy has been crazy, sublime and dramatic!

But next year its going to feel very strange as the league will lose at least three of its longer serving stars.

First off its fairly certain Juve legend Alessandro Del Piero will leave the Turin club after 19 years with the club. Its hard to imagine him elsewhere but the 37 year old isn’t done with the game and now looks likely to carry on his career in either the United States or Asia.

For la Vecchia Signora, Del Piero has won six Scudettos, one Serie B title, a coppa Italia and also has Champions League medal to his name. He has banged in a total 289 goals and has became an icon wearing the number ten shirt for the bianconeri just like Michel Platini and Roberto Baggio before him.

Personally I remember him breaking into the Juve first team in the mid 90s and playing against Rangers in the Champions League and destroying them.

He always brought class onto the football field, scored some wonderful and vital goals, He showed the club unbelievable loyalty and stayed with them when they needed him the most.

Marco Di Vaio is a different beast to Del Piero.

He has played for eight different Italian clubs and even managed spells abroad with Monaco and Valencia. In 528 career games he has bagged an impressive 219 goals.

He has won a Serie B title with Salernitana, a Coppa Italia with Parma and a Serie A title alongside Alessandro at Juventus.

I really started taking note of Marco when he was at Parma from 1999 to 20o2. He was there alongside notable players such as Nestor Sensini, Antonio Benarrivo, Dino Baggio, Hernan Crespo, Lilian Thuram, Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon. So its easy to see why people were watching Parma at that time.

As I mentioned Di Vaio and Del Piero had a spell together at Juve. I really thought this was Di Vaio’s time to shine as an international class player and replace Pippo Inzaghi.

Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out for Marco in Turin and he couldn’t force out either Del Piero or David Trezeguet from the usual starting line up.

His latest home in Serie A has been Bologna, where he has scored most of his goals and spent the longest spell at a single club. He is a hard working striker who can get vital goals.

But the 35 year old has now revealed this season will be his last with the Rossoblu and he looks certain to be plying his trade with MLS side Montreal Impact.

Udinese hero Antonio Di Natale has announced that after this summer he would be retiring from football.

Had this been ten years ago I would not be so surprised to see a 34 year old striker retire but Toto has proven he can still play and still score at the highest level.

In fact he was Serie A’s top scorer in 2010 and 2011. This term he has 22 goals and is currently 4th top scorer in the league. His passion for Udinese is enormous and he seems to be an honourable and gracious man both on and off the park.

He has only had two permanent clubs, the first being Empoli. He has now been at Udinese for eight years. Time and again he has turned down big, lucrative deals elsewhere just so he could stay in Udine.

Even now he could have had one last pay day in Asia or America but has decided to retire as Udinese captain.

Its certain the Zebrette will miss their talismanic striker, his passion and his goals. They are on the verge of qualifying for another try at Champions League football and will now have to use their great scouting network to good effect and search out a genuine goalscorer, never an easy task.

Unfortunately Toto hasn’t been able get his hands on any club trophies during his career, what is it they say about nice guys?

The striker has said he wants to retire after Euro 2012, which I hope means Cesare Prandelli selects him and it looks like he will.

The Azzurri are missing Giuseppe Rossi and with question marks remaining over the fitness of Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli’s mentality, I would suggest its only right that Di Natale adds to his 36 Caps in Poland/Ukraine before he hangs up his boots.

Now Alessandro Nesta has just announced that he too will leave Milan and Serie A.

The classy centre back broke into the Lazio squad back in 1993 and was infamous for a while as being the kid that broke Paul Gascoigne’s leg.

He would amass over 200 games while with the Roman giants and then made to move to Milan. He told the Italian media he was no longer fit enough for the rigours of Serie A life but earlier this season the 36 year old made an inch perfect tackle to stop Lionel Messi in the Champions League.

The Italian forged a great partnership with Fabio Cannavaro for the Azzurri. At AC Milan he would also develop world class partnerships with Jaap Stam and Paolo Maldini. He has also over seen the rise of current centre half Thiago Silva.

Milan will definitely miss Nesta who had perfect timing in a tackle.

Over his Serie A career he managed to win three Serie A titles, 3 Coppa Italias, a Cup Winners Cup, two Champions Leagues and a Fifa World Club cup.

These four are the ones that have already shown their hand.

The league may also start next season without Pippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf. Then the likes of Gennaro Gattuso, Francesco Totti and Andrea Pirlo won’t be around for too much longer either.

This is the end of a great generation. These are players that I seen start out in the game, followed for years and have enjoyed.

Serie A will continue without them as it did without Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio and Pavel Nedved but I doubt it will be the same for those who had their footballing brains moulded by watching such great stars.

Ciao Alessandro, Toto, Alessandro and Marco. Grazie for all the memories and wish you all the best in whatever you choose to do in the future.

Posted on May 10th, 2012 by scott
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Liverpool came up short at Wembley and watched rivals Chelsea lift the FA Cup.

Since taking over in October 2010 Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have spent roughly £118m on transfer fees. In the same time they have recouped roughly £75.5m.

They sacked Roy Hodgson and replaced him with Kenny Dalglish. They also hired then fired Damien Comolli who was the man responsible for all the transfers that Liverpool have made since FSG took over.

Under the new regime Liverpool finished 6th last season and are currently 8th with two games to go in the current campaign. This season as well as finishing runners up in the FA Cup they have also won the League Cup.

So it seems that this summer FSG and Liverpool will hit a crossroads and they will have to answer a lot of questions.

This season was always going to be a transitional one with the amount of players coming in and leaving.

But the board have to ask if cup success was paramount?

Were they willing to lose one or two places in the league or did they expect to be closer to the Champions League spots than they were in 2011?

Now first off what are they going to do with Kenny Dalglish?

Do they believe that ‘King Kenny’ is still the right man for the job?

When he was initially given the job I suggested that it should only be a short term appointment and I wondered if he was now a bit out of touch with modern football. To my surprise Kenny was more successful than I thought he would be and was offered a three year deal last May.

This season particularly this year, has seen Liverpool produce some very mediocre and disappointing performances and results.

Yes they have beaten Manchester United and City in the cups, yes the beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, yes they beat Arsenal at the Emirates and they won all three games against Everton this season but they are still behind all those sides in the league table.

In the 36 league games this season Liverpool have lost 13 times. They have lost to the likes of Fulham, Wigan and West Brom at Anfield.

These results have seen the Liverpool faithful question Dalglish. Now if it were Hodgson or even Gerard Houiller then I think the grumbling that can currently be heard would have turned into shouts for a sacking by now.

Dalglish has been afforded more time because of his legendary status at the club, which is fine. I think every manager deserves time and as I say he did a better job than I had thought he would. But the board have to think that the LFC support must be getting impatient.

Kenny has to be partly blamed for the signings that seen Comolli get the sack and he has came in for a lot of stick with his handling of the media.

So is it time for a change?

I would say so.

I’d expect Kenny to be offered a position on the board and over look the running of the academy.

So if Dalglish was to be moved upstairs who would replace him?

Pep Guardiola is having at least a years break so lets rule him out. Fabio Capello would not fit the style that the fans would want. Jurgen Klinsmann is always linked with this post these days but I doubt the American owners will unsettle the US national team and anyway I doubt he is good enough.

I have asked Liverpool fans who would they want and two names popped up more than most.

First off was a return for Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard was forced out by the previous bumbling owners. Rafa has always stated his love for Liverpool and the fans still love him. He will feel there is unfinished business at Anfield but would he want the current squad and would he be given enough money to get them back up the table? Would the current board give him the power he would ask for?

The other name was Andre Villas Boas.

The Portuguese coach had a torrid time at Chelsea but he did a marvellous job at Porto. The fans that suggested his name said that he would be allowed to come in and make the changes that he would like to make and be given time to implement his plans as long as their was a strategy on the pitch that they could see. That said I was also told that top 6 had to be achieved.

What about the team?

Well looking at players they will try and offload this summer and the main one seems to be Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchman works extremely hard and can play in a few positions but his time seems to be up. He will be 32 in the summer but if he does go he wont command a big fee.

That is the major problem for me when I look at the likes of Joe Cole, Alberto Aquilani and Maxi Rodriguez who could also be offloaded in the summer. They just wont recoup a lot of hard cash, yes they will clear some money off the wage bill but what about the transfer fees that will be needed to improve the current squad?

Would it be impossible for them to sell Luis Suarez for say £30m-£40m to Real Madrid or PSG? They could then reinvest in two other players. He isn’t exactly prolific, he has become a bad PR player but he is a talisman and I doubt the fans would accept the sale.

They are fine for keepers. Pepe Reina is still one of the best in the EPL, yes he has made a few mistakes this season but the teams erratic form won’t have helped him.

As for defenders, I personally think they are fine, maybe get cover for left back. Now should they want another centre back then they would have to get rid of Jamie Carragher and I don’t see them doing that.

When they bought Charlie Adam, I warned he may become a bit anonymous at Anfield like he was at times with Rangers. He has missed Lucas as the whole squad have and Adam hasn’t been able to really fit into the same team as Steven Gerrard.

Lucas coming back will be a huge bonus and given that they also have Jordan Henderson, Jay Spearing, Jonjo Shelvey, Adam and Gerrard, I’m unsure they need anymore central midfielders unless the plan is to push Gerrard further forward.

I have to say I have been a bit disappointed by the criticism shown to Henderson. For me he was thrown in and often used out wide. I would have started him on the bench more at the start and had him regularly playing in the middle for the reserves. I think his time will come once he gets a role in the middle and has a few good games in there.

If you’re asking my personal opinion on Spearing and Shelvey, I would say Spearing can make it at Liverpool but I don’t think Shelvey will ever be good enough to command a top team spot every week. I should also point out that when David Thompson and Steven Gerrard both broke into the first team I thought Thompson was the better player.

For me the big thing they need is a new winger, especially if Kuyt and Maxi leave. That or a creative player that plays closer to the striker/s. One problem would be that these players are hard to come by with Champions League sides looking at players such as Luka Modric, Eden Hazard and Nicolas Gaitan.

But its not impossible to find these players if you look hard enough, act fast or take a chance as Newcastle did with Hatem Ben Arfa.

Up-front they need more cover for me.

I think they’ll decide to keep Suarez.

Andy Carroll can become a big threat in the EPL should he knuckle down and work hard, against Chelsea he came on and changed the game, he needs to do that more. Craig Bellamy is a good option but he has his injury problems.

So a fourth striker would be necessary for me. Now they don’t need to splash out £20m or more on a forward. If they look around then you can find bargains. Papiss Cisse only cost £10m, Nikica Jelavic only cost £5m and Emmanuel Adebayor was loaned to Spurs.

Now a problem could be that they are 6th or 7th in line in the EPL when signing new players in terms of money or European competition.

I have seen links with Clint Dempsey. A player who has an impressive goal tally for Fulham playing off a frontman. It would be interesting to see where they would play him maybe coming in off the left with Downing on the right and Suarez just behind Carroll.

They have also been linked with Luuk de Jong, a 21 year old Dutchman who would suit the physical side of the English game and who has a keen eye for a goal.

Should they keep with the young British signing policy, which doesn’t always represent value for money, then I would like to see them make a move for Victor Moses who could strengthen forward options.

So I’d suggest another face lift for Liverpool this summer but maybe more in the background involving staff rather than too many dramatic transfers coming in or out. They have a relatively young squad and I think they may only need two or three faces to come in and improve their league finish for next season.

Posted on May 6th, 2012 by scott
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This week has a hint of a Gibfootball show reunion when Chris Mayer and Charlie Anderson join Brent and Scott to discuss the latest goings on.

We take a look at the EPL title run in, say goodbye to Pep Guardiola, look at the foreign leagues we support and talk about the Roy Hodgson England appointment.

Charlie tells us more about Swedish football, while Chris once again explains the ins and outs in Belgium.

Listen online HERE or on iTunes HERE.

Posted on May 3rd, 2012 by scott
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In Spain, the main football story for the past few days has been the news that Pep Guardiola was stepping down as the manager of Barcelona.

At the same time Real Madrid are on the verge of securing their first La Liga title in four years.

The news from the Nou Camp has kind of taken a shine off Jose’s first championship triumph in Spain and I have a feeling Mr Mourinho hasn’t enjoyed it.

Speaking on Pep’s decision Jose said…

“It’s his, he is the one who knows, he is the one who knows why, he is one who has to comment on it, he is the one who has to do what makes him happiest at any given time.

“I have been a coach for 12 years and for me I will be annoyed in June when I don’t have any matches as I will miss training and playing, playing and training. But everyone is the way they are and you have to respect and accept that and hope that they really do find enjoyment because the most important thing in life is to enjoy it. If for him enjoying life means withdrawing from football for a while then so be it and I send him a hug.”

Now he ends it all with a hug but he also has a wee dig at Pep too.

The part about Jose being a coach for 12 years and not wanting to take a break from the coaching & training. Is all very well but he did take a nine month break between his sacking at Chelsea and arrival at Inter Milan, enforced it might have been but still a break.

Also in those 12 years he has six jobs. The longest of which was at Chelsea where he spent three years as their manager.

Pep on the other hand has been Barca manager for four years.

As they say a change can be just as good as a break, eh Jose?

But getting away from some of his mind games and subtle digs, you have to admit that Jose Mourinho can be an arrogant so and so but he is also special manager.

He has managed in four separate countries and if Real win against Athletic Bilbao tonight then he will have won a league championship in all of them.

In his twelve years as a manager he has so far won six league titles (on the verge of another), six domestic cups, one UEFA cup and two Champions Leagues.

That is an amazing feat by anyones standards.

By beating Barca to this seasons Spanish title he will have broken the reign of the team that have been called by many as the best of all time.

Now he hasn’t done it by being Barcelona or by consistently beating the mighty Barcelona, he has done it his own way, the Jose way.

It might not be the way that fans like, that pundits spunk over or that always grabs the headlines but its efficient and it works.

He plays to his own teams strengths, he works on other teams weaknesses and will ensure that his squad will do whatever possible to get the upper hand on rivals. That might mean going ultra defensive, tough tackling or even dive and waste time.

So while the world mourns the loss of the wonderfully gifted Pep Guardiola in the Barca dugout, I raise my glass to Jose and say well done.

Like him, love him or hate him, the man has is a winner and for that you have to congratulate him.

Posted on May 2nd, 2012 by scott
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Manchester is blue. United are feeling blue and City are painting the town blue.

After the huge week of building the game up, there was no way the game would live up to Sky’s expectations but Man City fans simply wont care how it was won they are within touching distance of winning their first Premiership title.

The facts are though, Sir Alex Ferguson and his team gave City an advantage by how bad they played.

Before the game Fergie said he never sends out a team to go for a draw. He was right because United seemed to be sent out just not too win.

I am a huge admirer of the Govan born manager and his veterans Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes but to start them both and keep them on for so long was a poor call.

They had Ashely Young on the bench, now yes he has been criticised by the media as of late but he is creative and did actually win those penalties.

Antonio Valencia has been one of the star men these seasons. He is pacey, dangerous and even works back, why did he not start?

Park Ji Sung isn’t the same player he has been at Old Trafford. That card has been played to often now, teams know what Utd are going to do with him in the team. It showed a lack of faith in the players that had over hauled City’s lead in the first place.

The midfield battle was lost early on. United didn’t create or have enough pace. City were too strong in the spine of their team and worked extremely hard. Yaya Toure seemed to bully Scholes and Michael Carrick.

Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck tore Everton apart at times last week, yet Welbeck had to wait on the bench and Rooney was often isolated.

Johnny Evans was missed at the back both Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were caught out and seemed over awed by the occasion.

As time went on the usual hunger that United show in these must win games was nowhere to be seen. Well not on the park anyway. 70 year old Sir Alex got into a scrap with his opposite number Roberto Mancini.

It might go down as Ferguson’s Kevin Keegan moment, the moment he cracked!

To be fair Roberto seems to have played some great mind games over the past few weeks. No matter how well his side did, he’d say United had already won the title. Handing his rivals all the pressure and laying a gauntlet down to his own players to prove to him and the world that they are winners.

Man City scored at a perfect time. Just before half time and when they were all over United in terms possession and chances.

Captain Vincent Kompany has been an amazing credit to his team. He’s been the best Centre Half in the EPL all season and has so much passion for his side, their fans and for football.

He was delighted to score, he made that ball his and he deserved the winner.

Himself and Joe Hart are well liked, not hard when you have teammates like Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli. But Hart and Kompany offer neutrals a way of feeling ok about a City win.

Manchester United have been there, they have done it all before yet when it came to the crunch they switched off, fell asleep and weren’t hungry enough to shut up their noisy neighbours.

Man City have won a major battle but we still have 180 minutes to play out the war, they need to stay hungry and see themselves become club greats!

Posted on April 30th, 2012 by scott
Filed under: Article | 2 Comments »